Ruth DeYoung Kohler

Ruth DeYoung Kohler (1941–2020) began her career teaching art at several public schools in Beloit, Wis., then joined the faculty of the University of Alberta-Calgary (now the University of Calgary), Canada, where she founded the printmaking department.

In 1968, she was appointed the John Michael Kohler Arts Center’s first assistant director. She was named the Arts Center’s third director in 1972, and she provided the guiding artistic vision for the organization until 2016.

Kohler worked tirelessly to raise awareness surrounding the work of art-environment builders, preserving these unique sites in situ whenever possible and in collection when necessary. During her directorship, she founded and built the Arts Center’s collection of the work of vernacular environment builders and self-taught artists.

In 1974, Kohler initiated the renowned Arts/Industry residency program. Hundreds of artists have benefited from the opportunity to explore new ways of working and creating since its founding. Undoubtedly one of the most unusual ongoing collaborations between art and industry in the United States, Arts/Industry is conceived and administered by the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and hosted by Kohler Co.

Kohler has also had a hand in the establishment of other residency programs that emphasize the creation of new work and meaningful connections between artists and public. She took the lead in the development of the Connecting Communities program of collaborations at the Arts Center. This program brings accomplished artists into the community to collaborate with the public in the creation of new works of art ranging from performances to sculpture to street art among others.

The 1999 expansion of the Arts Center was spearheaded by Kohler. Working with the board of directors, $20.5 million was raised to make it possible.

In February of 2016, Kohler announced her decision to step aside from the director’s role at Arts Center and dedicate much of her attention to the creation of the Art Preserve, the world’s first major facility dedicated to the study of art environments and their preservation, conservation, and public presentation. The JMKAC Board of Directors named Kohler to the newly created position of director of strategic initiatives at that time.

The board also honored Kohler by naming her director emerita of the Arts Center. This lifelong title was a testament to Kohler’s tremendous contribution to the fields of art environments and self-taught and folk art as well as contemporary art—and to her great success in guiding the Arts Center to become the renowned institution it is today.

Among her other past and present involvements are: member of many panels and task forces for the National Endowment for the Arts; chair/member, Wisconsin Arts Board; grants reviewer, Institute of Museum and Library Services; founder, preservation program for Kohler Foundation; vice president for the arts, WI Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters; juror, speaker, and consultant throughout the U.S. Among the honors Kohler has received are: Visionary Award, American Folk Art Museum (NY); the Governor’s Award for the Arts (WI); Honorary Fellow, American Craft Council (NY); Lifetime Visionary Award, Intuit, (IL); Visionaries Award, Museum of Art and Design (NY); and honorary doctorates from various institutions of higher learning.

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